About Us and Our History

• Vauxhall/Opel Performance Tuning
• ECU Remapping - Petrol and Diesel Not Just Vauxhalls!!
  
• Workshop Facilities - 4 Ramps
  
• Fitting Centre and Shop
  
• Rolling Road and ECU Datalogging
• Engine Rebuilds
• Brake Upgrades
• Engine Transplants
• Suspension Upgrades
• Intercooler and Radiator Upgrades

• LSD Fitting
• Gearbox Overhaul and Repair
• Silicone Engine Hoses
• Routine Servicing to Manufacturer's Schedule
• Courtenay Enhanced Servicing
• Tech2 and MDI Diagnostic Checking
• Vauxhall Software/ECU Updating and Re-programming
• MOT Testing Arranged
• Customer Waiting Area - Tea and Coffee Available
• TV and DVD player - WiFi

For anyone who knows cars, Courtenay is a name that has been synonymous with Vauxhall for a good number of years. First in Norfolk, then nationwide and finally internationally. Courtenays started as a Vauxhall dealership in 1984 in North Walsham, under Chris Courtenay and with the influence of his motorsport background it widened its remit to include performance tuning, most notably turbocharging, with results that gained the company national recognition and coverage in countless specialist car magazines and on television programmes.

One of the many cars that was instrumental in spreading the Courtenay name was a Vauxhall Nova that was capable of 150mph and at the time was one of the quickest accelerating front wheel drive cars in the country. The owner and builder of this Nova was Jon Shield, who had joined the Company in 1984.

Jon has always been involved in the performance side, and when he moved with the Company to its previous site he became Service Manager. Jon used this time to gain a real in-depth knowledge of tuning and modifying Vauxhalls, as demonstrated by his Nova, which used a 2.0 litre 16 valve Vauxhall engine, installed and turbocharged by Courtenay, and with their software controlling the engine management system. Since then, Jon's cars have included a Calibra 3.0 V6, a throttle bodied 2.0 16v Nova Sport, an Astra G XEV turbo, an SRi Astra Turbo (one of the limited edition of 500), a Vectra ST200, and more recently a VX220 2.2 16v, 2 Astra VXR's, a Lightening Yellow VX220 2.2, 2 Corsa VXR's and an Astra J VXR. 

As a result of Chris having to take early retirement due to the onset of Parkinsons, Jon took the opportunity to buy the business with his partner, Sarah, and they have continued the business it in its winning ways, more recently being involved with projects for Vauxhall Special Vehicle Operations, Lotus Cars with the development of the VX220 Turbo Sprint car, 888 Race Engineering producing performance products for several of the VXR range of cars and also in racing in the Dunlop Sport Maxx Production Cup with an Astra VXR. Racing for us began in 2009 when we were asked by Adrian Churchill to improve on his competitive but very poorly mapped Astra and we were glad to help out. This partnership developed into full race support and saw us win the 2010 Championship. Following on from this success we ran the same car 2011 in the renamed championship, the Production Touring Car Trophy, and again won the championship. 2012 saw us compete in the championship again. We also had success in Time Attack in the RWD Club Class; the winning VX220 S/C was mapped by us. In 2013 we backed Will Watson's Courtenay Sport tuned Astra H VXR in Time Attack in FWD Club Class and we also has success in the Club Pro RWD class. In recent years we have also dominated Thunder Road, winning Class B in 2014,2015 and 2016, as well as enjoying track days around the country to show off the capabilites of Courtenay Sport modified vehicles.

The Courtenay workforce consists of one experienced mechanic,  Mark 'Ratty' Ratcliffe who has a wide knowledge of Vauxhall products from his days at a local dealership, who is our rolling road specialist. Mark Ashford  has extensive knowledge of Vauxhalls, having owned and driven countless Vauxhalls and are the voices on the end of the phone to deal with sales and general enquiries, along with Jon & Sarah. The end result is the knowledge and capability to transplant engines, gearboxes and running gear from one Vauxhall to another, and developing our own Turbo installations and brake and suspension upgrades means that Courtenay know Vauxhall’s literally inside out. With the kind of knowledge and skill that go into producing such enthusiasts’ dreams, our Courtenay team can service standard cars with ease, from changing the engine oil to changing the engine itself, from routine servicing on a Corsa to building a 550+bhp turbocharged Astra, Corsa or VX220; Courtenay remains THE place for Vauxhalls, standard or modified.